Mr. Lancaster, Your Wife Is Gone for Real This Time

"Dominic… I didn’t mean to… please, you have to believe me."Inside the villa, Isabella Carter knelt on the cold marble floor, her face was paler than the porcelain vase on the table.The lights were off. She couldn’t see the man’s expression on the sofa—only the faint glow of a cigarette between his fingers, until it finally burned out and disappeared into the darkness.The silence felt like waiting for a death sentence, which made her more nervous.She lowered her head and stared blankly at her hands. Blood still clung to her fingertips—Sophia Harrington’s blood. It had long since dried, but at this moment, it was the very proof of her crime.She didn’t know how much time had passed before he finally rose. Dominic Lancaster’s tall, imposing figure slowly approached her."Isabella," his voice was chilling, each word slicing into her, "mistakes must be paid for. The doctor was able to keep Sophia’s leg, but she’ll never dance again. And you… How could you still be able to walk away u

Her numb fingers trembled as they curled into fists. The icy wind cut through her thin prison-issued coat, stinging her skin like knives. She forced herself to draw in a shaky breath, then raised her head, meeting his gaze with what little courage she had left.“It was my fault back then,” Isabella whispered, her voice hoarse from the cold. “I’ve received my punishment. Mr. Lancaster, please… just pretend you didn’t see me today. Spare me this once. Please?”The man standing above her was as immaculate as ever, every line of his tailored coat precise, every gesture controlled. He tilted his head slightly, as if her words amused him, and a mocking curve touched his lips.“What?” His tone was flat, his smile sharp as glass. “You think two years in prison settles our account?” His eyes hardened, cutting into her like blades. “Sophia’s leg will never be the same. Isabella, do you honestly believe that’s enough punishment for you?”The name hit her like a hammer. She froze, her heart lurch

She had once used her family’s name like a weapon, mocking others with careless words because the Carters were large, influential, untouchable. Now the wheel had turned — and Charlotte Sinclair, who had once delighted in cutting others down, was not about to let this opportunity pass.Charlotte’s smile widened as she hooked her arm through Adrian Harrington’s. She leaned close, coquettish, voice syrupy. “Honey, look who it is. Isabella Carter, no less. We used to be such good friends—how could you leave without saying goodbye? This calls for a proper reunion.”Adrian didn’t reply. His gaze merely skimmed over Charlotte and fell toward the woman standing at the doorway. He said nothing, but his silence spoke a verdict Isabella already understood: she was trapped. This was exactly what Dominic Lancaster wanted. Sending her here had never been about forgiveness — it was spectacle. He wanted the city to humiliate her, to have everyone line up from south to north to watch her fall.She had

But then Isabella thought of the Carter family…Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head and slowly knelt.Thud.The sound echoed in the freezing night. Even Charlotte’s eyes were filled with surprise. Behind her, Adrian Harrington stood there without any emotions“Mr. Harrington,” Isabella whispered, her voice was trembling. “Please forgive me…”Before she could finish, a glass of hard liquor splashed across her face.Adrian’s voice was indifferent like ice:“Isabella, it’s been two years. And for a man, you’re still this cheap.”Her mind went blank. By the time she wiped the stinging liquor from her eyes, Adrian was already walking away.Maybe… he really was disappointed in her after all.Dominic didn’t flinch at the scene. He stepped closer, towering over her, his tone colder than the wind:“Since the guest hasn’t forgiven you, keep kneeling and appologizing.”Then he turned and strode away.“...Dominic…” Her weak voice followed him, breaking apart in the air. “Do you love Sophia

Adrian Harrington wasn’t rattled. He calmly put the bowl of chicken soup on the bedside table and arranged it with deliberate care, then turned his head toward Dominic Lancaster. With a sharp tilt of his chin, he said coolly, “Step outside. We need to talk.”It was as if Dominic had been waiting for this exact challenge. He smiled, too beautiful, too lethal—an expression that could strip color from the world. “Whatever you want to say, you can just say it here.”Isabella Carter blinked in confusion, uncertain of what battle was about to unfold between these two men. The tension in the room felt sharp enough to slice skin. She hesitated, then spoke up timidly, “Mr. Lancaster, since you both clearly have something important to discuss… why don’t I step out for a while?”She started reaching for the quilt, ready to push it back and climb down. Her fingertips had barely brushed the fabric when a metallic glint flashed through the air.A lighter.It hit her across the back of her hand wi